Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, #5) - K.F. Breene Page 0,35
in here, we’ll find them on the journey.”
“You think they’ll follow us?” Tomous climbed onto his horse.
Sanders waited for everyone to saddle up. They needed to spread their eyes around the city. If any with the mind mask were in there, Denessa wouldn’t be any help to find them. It was time to do things the right way—with hard work and army know-how. “Whoever found us last night didn’t do so by chance. The enemy wants eyes on us, and he found someone that Shanti couldn’t see with her head. Just so happens I got eyes. They won’t hide from me for long.”
“An invisible enemy is hard to take down. Even for someone with eyes,” Denessa said in a level tone.
“I’m no greenie, let’s get that right. Butt out.” Sanders clicked his tongue to get his horse walking.
“But…out…” Denessa gave him a confused frown. “I do not know that term.”
“It means fuck off.” Sanders spurred his animal. “C’mon. We got shadows to find.”
Alena waited with Leilius in barely suppressed nervousness at the front gate of the city. The other warriors were supposed to be flushing people out the back gate, into the waiting jaws of Lucius and the archers, but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t accidentally run this way. With a sword.
The warm wood felt sturdy in her grip.
She’d just have to take them down before they got too close. It was doable. She had time.
An image of the Graygual from the previous night drifted through her mind. Specifically of him flicking his sword and batting away Maggie’s fire-crusted arrow.
Alena’s horse stomped, probably feeling her worry.
She really hoped those men had all been killed. And if not, that they hadn’t followed the army into the city walls.
“I hope no one comes this way,” Leilius said softly, as if hearing her thoughts. “I’m not used to this kind of thing. I still want to vomit when I stab someone. I don’t like the sight of blood.”
“Then why are you still in the army?” Alena took a deep breath and shifted, trying to loosen herself up. If she was too stiff, it would affect her aim. That might lead to the death of one of them.
“Because S’am needs me. She has to kill that Supreme man, and she needs help.”
“But if you don’t like killing people, how are you much help? I mean…” She swatted at a fly. “They put us out here, out of the way. Everyone else is helping tie everything up in there.”
“I can get information. That’s what I’m good at.” A sickly expression crossed his face. “I can protect the city if need be, and sneak up on an enemy and stick a knife in him if I have to, but S’am is training me to be the eyes and ears in enemy territory. I’m good at that.”
Alena rolled her shoulders as a strange feeling itched between her shoulder blades. Her body erupted in goosebumps. It almost felt like someone was lightly poking her.
She glanced at the broken gate. The scant trees beyond twisted and reached like dead things clawing at life, giving the city a haunted feel. “This is an ugly land.”
“It’s not so different from ours, it’s just the Mugdock cut down a bunch of trees close to the city. They should’ve spread out the cutting if they needed wood, like we do. That way it wouldn’t look so dead.”
“Regardless of the reason, it’s ugly.” Alena shook her shoulders. “I don’t like the open area at my back.”
Leilius glanced behind him. A frown crossed his face. “Something up?”
She shivered, feeling the press of eyes.
She guided her horse to the right, partially shielded from the land outside. “I just don’t like putting my back to the unknown.”
They passed a moment in silence as Alena felt that weird sensation again. It was almost as if a finger was tapping her on the shoulder.
Alena bent forward to look out of the gate. A blur of a black shape slid behind a tree up on the hillside.
Frowning, Alena walked her horse forward a couple steps so she could see.
A tall reed waggled in the breeze. Nothing else moved.
“Are the cats out?” she asked into the hush.
“Out there somewhere, I think. Why? Did you see something?”
Alena stared at that tree so hard it started looking distorted. Nothing moved, save the brittle leaves hanging desperately from the trees. “Nah.”
“Are you sure?” Leilius clicked his tongue, having his horse walking forward to even up to her. He looked out the gate. “You should